Holly John & A Wedding

Even though weddings are about the two people getting married, the planning and execution of that special day is a team effort. From the wedding party to the caterers, there are many people involved in order to make the wedding run smoothly. Of course, every wedding needs at least one person to capture the memories of that day so that they may be enjoyed forever. One of those special people is a professional wedding photographer. To understand and explore weddings from the perspective of a wedding photographer, we interviewed a local wedding photographer, Holly, from Holly Johns Photography. We asked her to explain what she enjoys about shooting weddings and why she loves her job. Holly told us that her absolute favorite part of shooting weddings is the emotions she feels while participating in these life changing events, and the connection she feels to the brides, grooms, their wedding parties and their families. She decided that in order to really explain things from her perspective, she would recount a beautiful wedding of a couple named Kyle and Lindsey that she photographed on a gorgeous afternoon in September.

Kyle and Lindsey’s wedding had a detail oriented ceremony that focused on celebrating family traditions. Lindsey dedicated months to preparing the small touches that made her wedding day the perfect collaboration of Kyle and Lindsey’s favorite things and their family traditions. Holly’s favorite details included the adorable wagon and signs for their son to use while coming down the aisle, pictures of the couple all over the reception space, the bracelets Lindsey wore that belong to her grandmother, and the inclusion of the story that sealed their engagement just a year before their wedding.

The phrase “Bring your $2.50” reminds Holly of their special engagement story and still brings a smile to the her face. Lindsey enjoyed telling people the story of her grandparent’s engagement. When they were young, a marriage license costed just $5. While her grandparents discussed getting married, her grandfather put his $2.50 down on the table to initiate his proposal. The two were married soon after.

When Kyle proposed to Lindsey, he decided to include a special something to draw parallels between the two proposals. You can imagine Lindsey’s surprise and tears of joy when Kyle proposed with not only a ring, but $2.50 as well! This trend of including tradition and family values persisted throughout the wedding planning. It was apparent on their special day, but so were their unique personal touches. Lindsey wore a traditional wedding dress with a long veil covering her face as she walked down the aisle, and on her feet she wore her favorite pair of cowboy boots.

The sign reading “Daddy, here comes our girl” on the wagon that brought their son down the aisle was an emotional surprise for Kyle, and when the ceremony was over their son’s wagon had a sign that said “Let’s go eat some cake!”

Their wedding reception was held at Kilbuck Creek in Monroe Center, and their reception was not lacking any details from the newlyweds. Lindsey designed simple table decorations of burlap, mason jars, and baby’s breath, which made space for guests to enjoy their dinner and fellowship.

Behind the head table stood three antique doors with a burlap sign that read “Just Married.” Their vintage theme continued with a card box that was an old mailbox with “Love Letters” written on the side.

They also added their own unique, personal touches such as a chalkboard with a collage of the couple’s big dates as well as a wall of chicken wire full of photos of the couple. Their antique, rustic theme was complimented by light blues and creams in the flowers and bridal party’s attire. The ladies even changed into cowboy boots for the reception!

Once the party began, there was no going back! Dinner, toasts, and cake cutting, although amazing, took a back seat to the fun on the dance floor. The floor was packed with guests of all ages joining together to celebrate the love Kyle and Lindsey had for one another. Lindsey was surprised by a traditional dance done by the women of Kyle’s family, and many family members joined them by jumping into the circle and dancing. Kyle and Lindsey were also both surprised by a rap-medley performed by Lindsey’s young cousins. The crowd laughed and cheered while Lindsey danced and Kyle laughed uncontrollably. It was a perfect way to represent this fun loving and unique couple.

This amazing day of family, friends, fun and true love was completed with a sparkler send-off. Holly always tells her couples that if by the end of the night your cheeks hurt from smiling, your belly hurts from laughing, your feet hurt from dancing, and you married the one you love, you have had a perfect wedding.

Holly’s very favorite part of being included in weddings is experiencing the emotions of each special day. Kyle and Lindsey had many special moments throughout their wedding day, but none were more touching to Holly than hugging their son for the first time as a married couple. Holly, like many others in attendance, fought to hold back tears during this touching moment shared by everyone. Holly explained to us that when she’s shooting a wedding, she finds herself feeling like family. She spends all day with the brides, and a fair amount of time with the grooms as well. She has the pleasure of laughing at speeches and tearing up during the father/daughter dance. Her job allows her to take part in life changing events and capture those moments for people to enjoy forever. The connections she makes during weddings are priceless to her, and the memories she makes she will cherish forever.